Kings News

Q&A With Anze Kopitar

LAKings.com: This year’s Hockey Fest is right around the corner. How do you look back at last year’s Hockey Fest?

Kopitar: It was a great experience and a good start to the season. The fans were waiting to get the season going and I thought it was a good intro to get everything started. All the guys were able to hang out, go out to dinner and chit-chat about the summer. I thought it was really postive for the players, fans and staff just to get everyone together and get excited to get started for the season.

LAKings.com: You are in Slovenia still before traveling to L.A. early next week. What have you been up to this summer?

Kopitar: I’ve been mostly working out. I did have a four-day vacation. But that’s pretty much it. I stayed at home, spent time with my girlfriend and my family.

LAKings.com: As you look forward to the upcoming season, what are your thoughts?

Kopitar: After Terry Murray’s first season [going into last season] we said we were going to make the playoffs. Now that’s the goal and we’re expected to be there. There’s going to be a little more pressure, it’s going to be a little more harder, but I think last year’s experience is going to make a difference. We know what we have to do to get there now and know what to do when we get there. It will be a little eaasier with from the experience standpoint, but a little harder from the pressure standpoinit. We have to take that pressure in a positive way and build on that.

Kopitar: I had the chance to play against Willie Mitchell pretty much all season and actually for a few seasons now. He has a great stick, he’s a gritty, shutdown defenseman and really hard to play against. He can make plays and get that first pass through the zone, which is so imporant. I think he’s going to fit in really well in our system.